How to play poker online

introduction

Online poker uses the client server model of computer networking. Client
server is the system whereby multiple computers (clients) connect to a
central server which manages their interactions. One common application
of such a system is the online chat. Multiple clients connect to a
central server which broadcasts the chats to everyone who is logged in.
The online poker server can handle chats and a whole lot more. The server manages all the tables, keeps track of
who is sitting where, what games are running on each table, all the
bets, folds, raises, the button position, everything is managed by the
server. All the rules of poker are enforced. The server tracks all the
bets, the money transfers into and out of accounts. So basically even
though you are playing on a computer, you are in effect playing against
real people in real time. Those are real bets, made by real players. The
software is in the background, providing the interface to interact with
your opponents remotely.

Online poker is a relatively new phenomena which started around the
year 2000. Since then, over the years, poker sites have improved their
software. Table graphics have improved. Player counts have exploded into
the tens of thousands at peak times on the popular sites. The
introduction of online poker has also dramatically increased the poker
player pool for big tournaments, pushing up the prizes for events like
the WSOP into the multi millions of dollars. Online poker had its heyday
back in 2004 2005 when all the big sites were bustling with activity
24/7. All that came to a screeching halt when the US gov passed a law
restricting bank deposits into online gaming sites. Several major sites
under threat of prosecution, withdrew from the US market which at the
time was the biggest market share of online poker. Since then
governments in many countries have either banned or implemented their own
regulations. The net effect has been a big drop of players from the
highs of past years. However, online poker remains a popular activity in
the freedom loving counties that still allow it. Some countries where
poker is legal. UK, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Czech Republic,
Croatia, Russia, Mexico, Germany, Spain. Some states in the USA have
legalized online poker, but they don't have the player counts to
maintain a viable server.